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History of Conestogo

The area in the vicinity of present day Conestogo was first settled in the 1820's, on the Grand and Conestogo Rivers.  The first settlers were predominantly Mennonites who had emigrated from Pennsylvania.  They were followed by people of German and British background.  The first mill in Woolwich Township was built in Conestogo in 1844 by David Musselman.  Known earlier as Musselman's Mills, the settlement was renamed Conestogo in 1852.  The name originated from the town and river of Conestogo in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. 

By the middle of the 19th century, Conestogo was a thriving community of about 300 people.  It boasted a number of businesses including a foundry, flour mill, sawmill, furniture factory, paint factory, flax mill, distillery, four hotels, three blacksmiths, two wagon makers and a cooperage, among others.  Two local brickyards produced the bricks of which many Conestogo buildings were constructed.  The slow pace of Conestogo's development after the 1870's has resulted in much of the village's architectural heritage being well preserved.

History of Winterbourne

This picturesque village is located to the east of the Grand River.  The fine stonework of the Scottish stonemasons can be seen in many of the older buildings throughout the settlement.  In 1854, William Henry Lanphier built a dam on Cox creek, so Winterbourne's first sawmill and gristmill were established.  Lanphier named the village Winterbourne, after his ancestral home in England. 

Chalmer's Presbyterian church, on Katherine Street, remains virtually unchanged after 129 years.  The building is in good structural condition.  Everything in the church transports the visitor into the past.  The home located at 35 Katherine Street served as the Presbyterian manse for many years.  This 1854 home is unique for this part of Ontario.  It was built by the wealthy Captain Lanphier and was a reflection of his station in life.

Source:  www.Woolwich.ca